1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to power control for an electronic device, and more particularly to a control mechanism providing momentary power and constant power states.
2. Background Discussion
Modern electronic devices may be activated in any number of ways. Some devices may use switches having an on and off position. Others may use buttons that may be pressed down to activate an operational state and depressed to exit the operational state (or vice versa). Still others may use sliders, microswitches and so forth. Typically, such devices require the activating element to travel between an “on” and “off” position and maintain the position selected. Thus, during the entire time the device is active, the activating element maintains its “on” position.
Should the activating element become stuck or the device inadvertently be left on, the device may remain on until its power source is drained. If the device is battery-powered, this may lead to the replacement of removable batteries, shortening of the life of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries as a charge cycle is consumed, and/or the necessity of recharging the device before it may be used again. Further, certain electronic devices may pose a safety hazard if they are constantly operated for an excessive time. For example, the device may become hot to the touch or may cause deep discharge of a battery, thereby leading to a corrosive acid leak.
Further, many electronic devices employ an activation mechanism solely to cycle the device between its powered and depowered states. Additional controls may be used to manage device functionality. The use of multiple controls not only may affect the aesthetic of a given electronic device but also increase its operational complexity and thereby the chance for user error.